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While Bears beat man Brad Biggs was putting together a playing time story about the team he covers for the Chicago Tribune — based on snaps played — he noted the players who played the most snaps this past season in the entire NFL on both sides of the ball. Turns out the guy who played the most defensive snaps was the Cardinals’ own Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson.

Wilson, according to the NFL stats Biggs acquired, played 1,134 snaps (Saints offensive linemen Jermon Bushrod and Carl Nicks each played 1,152 for the other side of the ball.) So, to recap, Wilson came into 2011 having had ups and downs in 2010, in part because of a abductor injury, and then proceeded, a week into camp, to tear a biceps muscle in his right arm, forcing him to miss the entire rest of the preseason. Yet he promised to be back. He had to play with the biceps tear, and admittedly struggled in the new defense of coordinator Ray Horton early on.

(UPDATE: The Twitter feed of the NFL Network’s Playbook show (@NFLN_Playbook) notes that Darnell Dockett had the most snaps by a defensive tackle in the NFL with 1000, and added that Paris Lenon had the most snaps of any linebacker (although a number wasn’t given.)

I was starting to think injuries were finally starting to get the best of ADUB there for awhile but thankfully he proved me wrong. He’s the heart of our D. Can’t wait till next season. Trying to work Sunday Ticket into the budget so I actually get to see a Cards game this year. 🙂 With the way the defense has come along, our rushing attack exists, and all we gotta do to win is play Kolb through the 3rd quarter and then throw Skelton in, next season should be interesting, to say the least.

Very happy for Adrian Wilson, but fans lets read between the lines.
Our defense was on the field way too much last year.
Our offense was not on the field long enough last year.
I congradulate WIlson on the award for 2011, but I am hoping we have
the winner on offensive snaps in 2012. The award for 2012 goes to
Larry Fitgzgerald. Now that would make me happy.

Wilson was hurt the year before as well i would bet my car on it. don’t you love a guy that plays through an injury that should have sidelined him and the only thing he says all year to the media even when it looks like he might be struggling or he looks like the pro-bowler he is, is grrrr.

And all signs point to Adrian playing every snap of his career for Arizona which ia even more amazing. I can’t remember any player of his caliber playing his entire career for the Cards for a long, long time.

i hope none of our d-men are anywhere near the top next year in terms of total snaps played. i want our offense on the field at least 60% of the time. it does say a lot about the toughness and ability of our #24 though. well done, adrian.

I love my team, appreciate the effort of all of the players…but my all time favorite players (since the Card’s came to Az) are Aeneas Williams and Adrian Wilson. Both had/have great work ethic and dedication that extends beyond the football field. Neither talked about what they were going to do out on the field…they just did it / do it. Their efforts speak for them.